The nightly grind
For many months, Loaf slept in our bed. This was a conscious decision on our part at first. I was nursing and I found it infinitely easier to cope with the needs of a newborn and the active 20-month-old that Peanut was if I could stay lying down (and maybe even doze a bit) during nightly feedings.
However, while I have nothing against those who choose to co-sleep with their children for the long haul, I’ve always known it’s not for me. I am a light sleeper who likes her personal space while sleeping. I also do not enjoy being kicked in the head by small feet during the night. So once Loaf was night-weaned, we began the difficult process of trying to get her to sleep in her crib.
It took well over a year to finally get her to the point where she slept all night, every night, in her own bed. It was frustrating for all of us. It has only been in the last few months that Loaf has started consistently sleeping through the night, and it’s been amazing. I feel like a new woman.
Last night however, Loaf had a nightmare.
“Mommy!” came a terrified shriek followed by panicked crying. “Mommy, please!”
I jumped out of bed, heart in my throat, ran to the next room, scooped her up and without giving it a second thought, took her into my bed. I lay her down next to me and rubbed her tiny back and head.
“It’s OK,” I murmured in her ear. “You’re OK. I’m here, Mama is here and it’s all OK.”
Within a few minutes, her breathing slowed, telling me she was again sleeping peacefully. I lay back and closed my eyes. After a few minutes, I too was nearly back to sleep when suddenly I was stirred awake by a horrible, sickening sound.
crrrruuuuunnnccch
What? The?
And that was when I discovered Loaf’s newest nighttime trick.
She is a teeth grinder. A very, very loud teeth grinder. It sounds like she is eating a glass sandwich with a side of nails.
I lay there, half the night, listening to this awful sound and half expecting her teeth to come flying out of her mouth from the force she was exerting on them. I have never in my life heard anything quite like it. Disturbing doesn’t really even cover it. It’s one of those “nails on chalkboard” sounds that sends chills up my back.
I turned on my side and tried to stuff the entire corner of my goose down comforter in my ear canal, but it was no use. Loaf, almost as if she knew what I was doing, rolled over and laid her face against the back of my head.
crrrruuuunnnchhhh
AH!!!
Holy mother of GOD, please make it stop!
But it did not stop. Not all night. And when the alarm went off it was just a formality since I was already very much wide-awake.
I’ve already Googled it, and it’s very common and often subsides on its own by age 6 or 7, but hello?? That’s four or five years away. I’m concerned that if she keeps going at this rate, she’s not going to have any teeth left to leave for the tooth fairy someday. Plus, we’ve got lots of nightmare-filled, I-need-to-sleep-in-Mommy’s-bed nights ahead of us. I think I better invest in a pair of earplugs ASAP.
However, while I have nothing against those who choose to co-sleep with their children for the long haul, I’ve always known it’s not for me. I am a light sleeper who likes her personal space while sleeping. I also do not enjoy being kicked in the head by small feet during the night. So once Loaf was night-weaned, we began the difficult process of trying to get her to sleep in her crib.
It took well over a year to finally get her to the point where she slept all night, every night, in her own bed. It was frustrating for all of us. It has only been in the last few months that Loaf has started consistently sleeping through the night, and it’s been amazing. I feel like a new woman.
Last night however, Loaf had a nightmare.
“Mommy!” came a terrified shriek followed by panicked crying. “Mommy, please!”
I jumped out of bed, heart in my throat, ran to the next room, scooped her up and without giving it a second thought, took her into my bed. I lay her down next to me and rubbed her tiny back and head.
“It’s OK,” I murmured in her ear. “You’re OK. I’m here, Mama is here and it’s all OK.”
Within a few minutes, her breathing slowed, telling me she was again sleeping peacefully. I lay back and closed my eyes. After a few minutes, I too was nearly back to sleep when suddenly I was stirred awake by a horrible, sickening sound.
crrrruuuuunnnccch
What? The?
And that was when I discovered Loaf’s newest nighttime trick.
She is a teeth grinder. A very, very loud teeth grinder. It sounds like she is eating a glass sandwich with a side of nails.
I lay there, half the night, listening to this awful sound and half expecting her teeth to come flying out of her mouth from the force she was exerting on them. I have never in my life heard anything quite like it. Disturbing doesn’t really even cover it. It’s one of those “nails on chalkboard” sounds that sends chills up my back.
I turned on my side and tried to stuff the entire corner of my goose down comforter in my ear canal, but it was no use. Loaf, almost as if she knew what I was doing, rolled over and laid her face against the back of my head.
crrrruuuunnnchhhh
AH!!!
Holy mother of GOD, please make it stop!
But it did not stop. Not all night. And when the alarm went off it was just a formality since I was already very much wide-awake.
I’ve already Googled it, and it’s very common and often subsides on its own by age 6 or 7, but hello?? That’s four or five years away. I’m concerned that if she keeps going at this rate, she’s not going to have any teeth left to leave for the tooth fairy someday. Plus, we’ve got lots of nightmare-filled, I-need-to-sleep-in-Mommy’s-bed nights ahead of us. I think I better invest in a pair of earplugs ASAP.
Labels: Adventures in Parenting, Who needs sleep?
posted by Kimberly at
12:19 PM
5 Comments:
My hubs grinds his teeth. Poor her. Poor you!
My four year old is a teeth grinder and it drives me CRAZY!
Oh, that sounds just awful! Here you wait and wait for those first little pearls, and then your kid proceeds to grind them to oblivion!
I love the snowy pictures, too. We lived in Iowa for awhile and I can relate to all that snow--for about 5 months!
beth
I'm a mean mommy. The Girl doesn't get to sleep in our bed when she has a nightmare.We may turn on a lamp and her cd player to let her get back to sleep, but no moving to our bed.
I have to confess that I am a teeth grinder - usually when under stress. I have a mouth guard I wear at night. It's loads o'fun. Dr. Dentist said it's hereditary (my father was a teeth grinder).
Hopefully she will grow out of it. I doubt she's under a lot of stress ;) Perhaps her molars are coming in? Don't kids do that sometimes when their molars appear?
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